Caper Town - Undertakers are concerned that they lack the training and know-how to deal with bodies of people that have died of Covid-19.
Unicity Funeral Directors Association, deputy secretary Luthando Gqamana, a director of Nothemba Funerals, said: “As undertakers in the Western Cape, we feel as if we have not been consulted nor trained on how to deal with Covid-19 corpses, even though we are regarded as essential workers and remove the bodies from the hospitals.”
Deo Gloria Funeral Services director Kenny McDillon said none of the undertakers in the Western Cape received training from the Emergency Medical and Forensic Pathology Services.
He said the government must identify a separate hospital to be used by those who died of the disease. “Anybody who is removed must be kept at that hospital and any undertaker who removed a Covid-19 corpse either from home or hospital must be stored there.”
South African Funeral Practitioners Association deputy chairperson Xoliswa Badashe said the government must avail funds to bury people who died with Covid-19 because within no time even funeral policies are not going to survive. “Already people are unable to pay their policies because they are not working.”
African National Association of Funeral Undertakers national convener Chris Stali, also a director of Eyodidi Funerals, said families must also be given training during the time of death. “Otherwise we will continue fighting with our clients wanting to continue doing things as usual.”
Undertakers are concerned that they lack the training and know-how to deal with bodies of people that have died of Covid-19. Pictures: Supplied
Emergency Medical and Forensic Pathology Services spokesperson Deanna Bessick said the provincial government had planned and rolled out workshops and information sessions, conducted by Emergency Medical and Forensic Pathology Services in conjunction with environmental health practitioners.
Community services and health mayco member Zahid Badroodien said the national Health Department has provided guidelines on how people who died from Covid-19 are to be managed.
Badroodien said the City’s environmental health has been engaging with funeral undertakers about the guidelines.
He said in terms of funerals and burials, funeral services were being held outside of City facilities subject to lockdown regulations, and were restricted to a maximum of 50 people.
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